The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) has formed a new coalition to address the high-skilled jobs crisis and improve the U.S. science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, education system.
The coalition, called inSPIRE STEM USA includes businesses, education groups and other national associations. inSPIRE stands for Supporting Productive Immigration Reform and Education.
The coalition members support an increase H1B visas and green cards to fill vacant positions. It also plans to push for more hiring and training of STEM teachers as well as students pursuing degrees in STEM-related fields.
Companies seeking additional H1B and green card workers to fill existing vacancies would fund the initiative.
“inSPIRE is urging Congress and the Administration to implement immigration and education policies that will fix the skilled worker crisis as they look to address the need for comprehensive immigration reform,” said Jay Timmons, NAM president and CEO. “By reforming the H1B visa system, manufacturers can fill existing jobs today while strengthening the U.S. STEM education pipeline to ensure that U.S. college graduates are able to fill those jobs tomorrow.”
inSPIRE STEM USA is co-chaired by former Sen. John E. Sununu (R-NH) and Maria Cardona, a former adviser to the presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton and surrogate for both of Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns.
For more information, visit www.nam.org.
